Untitled
by ixwin
Summary: A three act blank verse tale of a cabin boy in love with Hook. : He is my Captain, and I love him more : Than man should love another man so says : The world. And yet to me it feels so right, : That I cannot believe my love a sin.
1. Chapter 1

ACT I: A cave. Within a CABIN BOY and a WITCH 

CABIN BOY He is my Captain, and I love him more  
Than man should love another man: so says  
The world, and yet to me it feels so right,  
That I cannot believe my love a sin.  
I feed my love with looks and sighs, and long  
To speak but ever darkling waves of fear  
O'erteem my heart and stop my tongue. At night  
I dream of kisses, and of things as make  
Me blush that I dare dream them. Dreams of flesh  
And secret silent heat, and rising blood.  
And things I cannot name but yearn to find.  
As witch-tied knots, unloosed, call forth the storm  
So, were my virgin knot untied, methinks  
A tempest of my love would rage and blow  
And drown the feeble protests of the world.  
And so I beg of you some spell or charm,  
To aid me in my quest to speak my love.  
No love-spell (for I would not have him charm'd.  
His love compell'd would be a hollow prize)  
But by some means the strength to speak my heart  
And by some means the space in which to do't.

WITCH Thou speakst right gentle and thou bringst me gold.  
Therefore I'll give thee what thou dost request.  
Take now this rope, and when thou wish'st to speak  
Untie the knot. Then spirits will be freed  
Who'll aid thee in thy quest to seek his love.

CABIN BOY I fear these spirits may be straight from hell.

WITCH I will not stay thy questions, boy. Farewell!

The WITCH vanishes.


	2. Chapter 2

ACT II: The deck of a ship. Enter the CABIN BOY, HOOK, and PIRATES 

CABIN BOY:  
Three days and nights have past since first I sought  
The witch's aid, and still I pause to act.  
And waste my days in pining, when I might  
By one small act, receive that which I seek  
Beshrew my fearful heart. I'll do't now

The CABIN BOY unties the knot. Immediately, a violent tempest arises.

FIRST PIRATE Ho! Look to the sails!

SECOND PIRATE This is no natural storm.

CABIN BOY _Aside_  
Alas! What have I done?

A large CROCODILE rises from the waves, and crawls on deck.

SECOND PIRATE:  
What fearful monster from the deeps is this?

HOOK Leviathan, my hideous nemesis.  
Once more we meet. Once more, we fight. En garde!

HOOK draws his sword. HOOK and the CROCODILE fight.

HOOK stabs the CROCODILE but as he does so, the CROCODILE bites HOOK in the abdomen. HOOK falls. The CABIN BOY rushes to HOOK's side. The CROCODILE, injured but still alive, crawls back into the sea.

The storm abates.

FIRST PIRATE How fares the Captain?

CABIN BOY Alive, but sorely injured. What fell beast  
Was that which valiantly he fought, knowst thou?

FIRST PIRATE It has pursued him now for many years.  
In times long past it ate his hand. They say  
It longs to taste our Captain's flesh once more.

CABIN BOY _Aside_ I summoned it - oh wretched, wicked, deed!  
_Aloud_ He swoons! - help me to bring him to his bed.


	3. Chapter 3

ACT III 

HOOK's quarters. HOOK is in bed, naked to the waist, with his abdomen bandaged. He moves in a restless delirium. The CABIN BOY sits at the head of the bed wiping HOOK's forehead with a cloth.

HOOK stirs

CABIN BOY My Captain? How fare you?

HOOK The beast - where is the beast?

HOOK tries to sit up, but the CABIN BOY puts a hand on his chest to restrain him.

CABIN BOY 'Tis gone. Five days now, you have lain abed.  
And near to death; but now the fever's past.  
I have here food and drink if you desire.

HOOK Five days. And wast thou with me all this time?  
Thine eyes are shadowed - hast thou slept at all?

CABIN BOY I was, my Captain. I slept in this chair.

HOOK Why wouldst thou do this for me, boy? Come, speak.

CABIN BOY You are my Captain. Needs there more than this?

HOOK Nay - there is more than that. This is more care   
Than that Boy owes to Captain. Seekst thou gold?  
How now my boy? Thou tremblest, and lookst pale  
If thou wouldst speak, then speak! I have no time  
For stamm'ring fools. Out with it, and be done.

CABIN BOY There is a thing that I have longed to say   
For many days and nights, and never dared 'Til now.  
And even now, the words come hard.  
Each like a barnacle to be pris'd loose   
From my most fearful heart. Enough. I'll speak.  
I love thee. I have loved thee long. I yearn  
To kiss thee, and to hold thee in mine arms.  
Perhaps I speak too boldly, yet i'faith  
These last few days and nights I seem to have seen  
A shadow of my feelings in thine eyes.  
'Tis love that makes me crave a lover's kiss  
'Tis hope that makes me bold enough for this

The CABIN BOY bends down and kisses HOOK. HOOK seems to respond at first, and then turns his head away.

HOOK Thou art mistaken boy, I love thee not  
Nor never will. I felt naught but disgust  
At thy lips touch. Leave me and nevermore  
Speak to me of thy unnat'ral desires.

CABIN BOY Forgive me. I will speak of it no more.  
Nor seek your love. But let me here remain  
And still attend you, for I fear those wounds  
You bear are perilous, and I do know  
Those remedies which best can ease your pain...

HOOK Didst thou not hear me? Go!

The CABIN BOY leaves.

HOOK to himself  
'Tis better not to love me lad. Though now  
Seems harsh, thou'lt thank me in the years to come  
When some fair maid or boy assails thine eye  
One who's thy mirror, innocent as thee  
Who'll give thee what I never can: true love  
Unsullied by the bitter taint that flows  
Within me as the salt within the sea.  
I was not made to love; nor made to weep.  
And so I'll wear a smile, and say "I am  
Unmoved. His tenderness hath touched me not"  
And if I say it oft enough, I may  
Believe it, and my heart may thus be stilled.  
O wretched heart! I would thou wert a stone,  
So could I rest content to be alone.


End file.
